4th of July was soooo much fun in Guntersville! There is a long walking trail along the lake with grass where people set up camp for the day! Literally 2,000 people swimming, eating, barbequing, playing games, tanning, walking, talking, and enjoying the good ole south!
We were walking along the path when this shirtless, tattoo covered man came up to us and said, "you are pretty girls! I need you!" Very confused, we followed him to his families bbq. There we found his 15 yo cousin Seth sitting in a lawn chair getting yelled at by his family to believe in God. They were fiercely saying, "he doesn't even believe in god! he had some little girlfriend who turned him atheist! god is obviously real! just look around!" Shocked at the situation we calmed the family down. They had overheard our conversation about God and thought we could help. We decided to take Seth, the scrawny little boy on a walk so he could be away from his family pressure.
As we strolled along the path observing the beautiful lake and admiring all the different people we started to ask Seth questions. He opened up and told us he wasn't atheist, he just didn't know who God was. Perhaps he was an alien, he thought. We listened and discussed and helped him understand how we have come to know God is our loving Heavenly Father.
We shared a scripture from the Book of Mormon about a man who is unsure of Gods reality, but prays to know if He is real. His prayer is as follows, "O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me" (Alma 22:18). We invited him to follow that example and pray. We promised he would feel God's love and gain an assurance that God is aware of HIM. Seth agreed and said a precious prayer as we stood under a tree.
He muttered, "Dear Heavenly Father, are you real? Amen." He opened his eyes and a smile stretched from ear to ear. We asked how he felt and he said, "incredible! I feel it inside!" As we made our way back to his family we asked what he had learned from our random interaction and he gratefully said, "Well I know God is real now. He knows me and will answer my prayers."
HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! I know God is real and that we are on His errands as missionaries. He leads us to the people who need Him most. It was clear to see the difference between his family yelling at him-forcing him to believe what they believe-and us just listening to him. As we listened with love he opened up and we were able to help him!
I love being a missionary! So many miracles everyday! That is only one small story!
Sister Madsen!
making homemade pancakes on the floor! no recipe! hahha love experiments!
I love my little island!!! :)
Huntsville Southeast Zone!!! What up!!!
precious little desserts! cheesecake with graham cracker sand, teddy grahams laying out on a beach towel of sour strips!
oh and we got those burgers for free! we joined a random family bbq! hhaha I love southern hospitality!
this is the walking trail! it was gorgeous when the sun set!
We went all out for the 4th!!!!! I LOVE RED, WHITE, and BLUE
Guntersville Ward missionaries! enjoying the 4th of July party!
4th of JULY was the most MAGICAL, MIRACLE filled, day ever!!!!! I love the gorgeous lake! thousands of people, hundreds of boats, and an incredible firework show put on by the city from a boat in the lake! what more could you want?!?! #America
just a few of the new friends we made at the park on Saturday while painting nails and doing face paint!!! SO FUN!
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